Tuesday, 24 July 2018

Cricket World Ratings 24th July 2018

Sri Lanka have just completed a 2-0 victory at home to South Africa; the latter are a strong side, but it seem it's really hard for teams not from south Asia to win there, and this result continues the pattern.  My world ratings now look like this:

India         236  
South Africa  179 -23 
Australia     166  
New Zealand   144
Sri Lanka     125 +23 
England        74  
Pakistan       40  
West Indies    15    
Bangladesh    -99 
Zimbabwe     -260
Ireland      -295
Afghanistan  -325

The official version looks like this:

India        125
South Africa 106 -6

Australia    106
New Zealand  102 
England       97
Sri Lanka     97 +6
Pakistan      88
West Indies   77 
Bangladesh    67 
Zimbabwe       2 

The next series will be interesting: can a strong Indian side repeat its mostly home success, away in England?  There's a full five test series for them, and us, to find out, starting on the 1st August.

Tuesday, 17 July 2018

Cricket World Ratings 17th July 2018

3 test matches have been played recently, and all have ended in comprehensive victories for the home teams, even though in theory the games might have been expected to be close. West Indies have beaten Bangladesh twice; a strong South African team has nonetheless lost its first game in Sri Lanka (there's one more match scheduled in this series).  The latest version of my cricket world ratings are as follows:

India         236  
South Africa  202 -25 
Australia     166  
New Zealand   144
Sri Lanka     102 +25 
England        74  
Pakistan       40  
West Indies    15 +26   
Bangladesh    -99 -26 
Zimbabwe     -260
Ireland      -295
Afghanistan  -325

Technically, this is Sri Lanka's highest ever rating; though as discussed previously, that has a lot to do with the fact that the rating is zeroed on the average test team, and two new (and presumed poor) sides have recently been given test status. Still, it's a strong 5th place for a side usually found towards the back of the pack.

The official version looks like this:

India        125
South Africa 112

Australia    106
New Zealand  102 
England       97
Sri Lanka     91
Pakistan      88
West Indies   77 +5 
Bangladesh    67 -8  
Zimbabwe       2 

The West Indies have swapped places with Bangladesh following their series victory.

Once South Africa go home, the Indians will tour England; then that's it for test cricket until November.